Dear 11th graders,
I think that you would enjoy Walter Dean Myer’s Monster. There are many reasons why this book is an appealing read and why you should check it out. The story concerns a sixteen year old boy, Steve Harmon, who is facing murder charges as a result of a botched robbery. He allegedly acted as a lookout. If he is found guilty, he faces life in prison. The title refers to how the prosecuting attorney identifies Steve in her opening statement, he is a monster. And while the story is about Steve’s experiences in jail and during his trial, throughout the novel, Steve grapples with this notion of himself as a Monster. He tries to determine for himself if he is the monster the prosecutor portrays or not. He also wrestles with the question of his own guilt. One reason you should read this book is the narrative style. The narrative style is very unique and provocative. Steve is an aspiring film student, and the trial half of his story is told as though it were a movie screenplay. I love this approach because this approach conveys how surreal the court experience is to Steve. This is not where a “good” kid like Steve belongs. And Steve deals with this foreign and unreal situation by separating himself from the courtroom action and thinking of the trial as a screenplay. It’s not that he doesn’t take his trial seriously; he just really can’t believe that it is happening to him. Interspersed between the courtroom scenes are Steve’s own inner thoughts, presented as a journal. While in jail, Steve keeps a journal of his thoughts, feelings, and experiences (some of which are painful and difficult to read). It is an interesting juxtaposition to have the emotional journal and the sterile courtroom screenplay side by side. I think this style is very interesting because both aspects of the narration depict a scared, vulnerable teen.
Another reason to read this book is that it makes you think and interact with a lot of themes and ideas. One idea is judicial prejudice. Steve’s lawyer tells him that, despite the careful selection process, the jury already assumes his guilt. This story will help you think about how race, class, gender, age, etc. contribute to judicial prejudice as opposed to judicial impartiality. The novel also will cause you to think about our current judicial system. If Steve did act as a lookout, he is an accomplice to the crime, and because of the way that the law is written and executed he faces the same punishment as those who actually pulled the trigger. Yet, this is Steve’s first offence, and all he did was walk out of a convenience store. Even if he is guilty, is it fair for him to get a life sentence? What do you think is fair or appropriate in his circumstance? These are questions you will grapple with as you read the text. Also, like Steve, you will question his guilt or his innocence. A main theme in the novel is the question: Is Steve a monster? There is ample evidence that he is a good, serious kid. But, did he do the crime? Is he guilty or innocent? If he is guilty, does that mean he is the monster he is identified as? These are fascinating themes and questions you will interact with as you read the novel.
On a less serious note, another reason to check this novel out is that it is a quick read. It is about 300 pages long, but because of the structure and style, there is probably only about a hundred or so pages of text. The journal sections are written in a very large print (as though they were actual hand written journal pages). The screen play has a lot of dialogue breaks and spaces on the page. So, if you read this for your outside reading book, you probably would get credit for 300 pages, and only have to do the work of reading about 100! But seriously, I think that you would enjoy this book.
Sincerely,
Nyla Crandall
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